The Hypocrisy of Halloween and Fundamentalism

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Dr. Huk-N-Duck

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Growing up in a household in which my parents were not only fundamental Baptists, but Bob Jones University graduates, you can probably guess that Halloween was a no-go for us kids. However, in lieu of allowing the kids to dress up and go trick-or-treating, we instead “celebrated” Halloween by going out to eat at a kid-friendly restaurant, and then spending the night handing out mass amounts of candy to all of the kids trick or treating. So, it was okay to give out candy, but not receive candy, which kind of sucks when you’re ten, eleven or whatever years old.

Does this seem like the height of hypocrisy or am I misreading the situation? Thoughts? Comments?
 
During the first years of our marriage, I didn't allow trick-or-treating either. But when the oldest was ten, I let them dress up and do so, and go to parties of trusted friends.

Trick or treating is one thing, Halloween parties is another, and the ouija board and seances and other occultic practices are prominent features in most, thinking it's harmless fun. And sometimes it is, but not always.

So it's not the hypocrisy of Halloween vs Fundamentalism, but Trick or Treating vs Fundamentalism.
 
Ekklesian said:
During the first years of our marriage, I didn't allow trick-or-treating either. But when the oldest was ten, I let them dress up and do so, and go to parties of trusted friends.

Trick or treating is one thing, Halloween parties is another, and the ouija board and seances and other occultic practices are prominent features in most, thinking it's harmless fun. And sometimes it is, but not always.

So it's not the hypocrisy of Halloween vs Fundamentalism, but Trick or Treating vs Fundamentalism.
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I’m strictly referring to trick or treating, not parties.
 
Ekklesian said:
During the first years of our marriage, I didn't allow trick-or-treating either. But when the oldest was ten, I let them dress up and do so, and go to parties of trusted friends.

Trick or treating is one thing, Halloween parties is another, and the ouija board and seances and other occultic practices are prominent features in most, thinking it's harmless fun. And sometimes it is, but not always.

So it's not the hypocrisy of Halloween vs Fundamentalism, but Trick or Treating vs Fundamentalism.
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To each his own.
Halloween is not really related to SamHain anymore, so I personally think it is a Romans 14 issue.

If you do it, do it to the Lord, if you don't then don't to the Lord.
 
We tend to focus overly much on the costumes and the horror movies and the overall spooky theme, as though they're teaching some sort of lesson to kids about participating in the occult. I frankly have my doubts that anyone thinks that dressing up as a vampire is a doorway to the unnatural.

As an adult, I've found that the idea of kids going door-to-door demanding large amounts of candy, with the implied threat of pranks if you don't give it over, doesn't sit well with me. I wouldn't want my kids to learn that lesson, if I had them.

But I've got no hard feelings otherwise. Have your fun. I just lay low for the evening, and help clean up the leftover chocolate over the next few days.
 
Bob Jones V said:
Halloween is not really related to SamHain anymore, so I personally think it is a Romans 14 issue.
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Never was, really. The observance of Hallowe'en in North America comes from the Irish Catholic traditions of putting on a disguise and begging for food for a feast, and playing pranks, on All Hallow's Eve. The modern trick-or-treat tradition first appeared in Canada in the 1910s.
 
Bob Jones V said:
To each his own.
Halloween is not really related to SamHain anymore, so I personally think it is a Romans 14 issue.

If you do it, do it to the Lord, if you don't then don't to the Lord.
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Agreed. I get irritated with those who half celebrate half eschew it. If you find it evil, don't participate.

I used to get into it big time. I'd work community haunted houses... I was in demand because I could bring up a maniacal laugh that made your skin crawl. I made the Beetlejuice character look like an amateur. As I aged, I've completely lost my taste for that kind of stuff.
 
I'm part of a facebook group called "Men who follow Christ", and there have been at least a half dozen posts every day for the last few weeks saying that participating in Halloween in any way is worship of Satan. I tried responding to the 1st few, but that became tiresome.
 
voicecrying said:
I'm part of a facebook group called "Men who follow Christ", and there have been at least a half dozen posts every day for the last few weeks saying that participating in Halloween in any way is worship of Satan. I tried responding to the 1st few, but that became tiresome.
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Meanwhile, I'm sitting here drinking coffee out of a winter-themed Tim Hortons mug, and suddenly I'm asking myself, "Why am I not using my Day of the Dead mug with the skulls on it?" Sigh.
 
I guess I should’ve done a poll. Anyway, some great responses, but the question remains: Is it hypocritical for parents to hand out Halloween candy to kids in the neighborhood, but not allow their own children to receive candy via trick-or-treating?
 
HukNduck said:
I guess I should’ve done a poll. Anyway, some great responses, but the question remains: Is it hypocritical for parents to hand out Halloween candy to kids in the neighborhood, but not allow their own children to receive candy via trick-or-treating?
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Inconsistent, yes, but I wouldn't take it all the way to being hypocritical. Hypocrisy caries with it the intent to deceive. I think your parents may have been caught between wanting to show you a good time but feeling convicted by rules and "standeerds". This is a common conundrum for people who order their convictions on a bunch of rules.
 
ALAYMAN said:
A little primer for all you pagans
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Well, that was unintentionally hilarious.

Not only does "trick or treat" not have Druidic origins, it isn't even European. Documented use of the slogan goes back no more than about 100 years.
 
abcaines said:
Inconsistent, yes, but I wouldn't take it all the way to being hypocritical. Hypocrisy caries with it the intent to deceive. I think your parents may have been caught between wanting to show you a good time but feeling convicted by rules and "standeerds". This is a common conundrum for people who order their convictions on a bunch of rules.
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I think you probably hit the nail on the head. Whatever it was, it probably would have been better just to not celebrate than to do this half-baked approach. Ironically, all of us grew up to take our kids trick or treating. Last I checked, none of them have become possessed souls yet.
 
HukNduck said:
I think you probably hit the nail on the head. Whatever it was, it probably would have been better just to not celebrate than to do this half-baked approach. Ironically, all of us grew up to take our kids trick or treating. Last I checked, none of them have become possessed souls yet.
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Just to play devils advocate for a moment, it is not uncommon in Christian theological history for efforts to be made to redeem the culture. Read this for an example of this sort of thinking.
 
Ransom said:
Well, that was unintentionally hilarious.

Not only does "trick or treat" not have Druidic origins, it isn't even European. Documented use of the slogan goes back no more than about 100 years.
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That Puritan writer said otherwise😁
 
ALAYMAN said:
Just to play devils advocate for a moment, it is not uncommon in Christian theological history for efforts to be made to redeem the culture. Read this for an example of this sort of thinking.
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I respect what this guy is doing with Halloween, but I think he goes a little overboard with the intent of the holiday. He says: “Yes, Halloween can stand for some really wicked things. Yes, it is a day that people worship Satan, demons, and spiritual darkness. Yes, it is an excuse for unrepentant sinning. But we are the light of the world! Light is intended for darkness.”

In contrast, I’d say, sometimes Halloween is about nothing more than a kid wanting to dress up like a superhero and get a bucket of candy. Nothing more, nothing less.
 
HukNduck said:
I respect what this guy is doing with Halloween, but I think he goes a little overboard with the intent of the holiday. He says: “Yes, Halloween can stand for some really wicked things. Yes, it is a day that people worship Satan, demons, and spiritual darkness. Yes, it is an excuse for unrepentant sinning. But we are the light of the world! Light is intended for darkness.”

In contrast, I’d say, sometimes Halloween is about nothing more than a kid wanting to dress up like a superhero and get a bucket of candy. Nothing more, nothing less.
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Ok, ostensibly sometimes it’s about more than just a kid and candy….,hence the tension for some Christians who believe they need to not capitulate but rather reclaim the culture. Whether I entirely agree or not I can at least respect another individual’s conscientious convictions and not necessarily think they’re being hypocrites by not COMPLETELY abstaining from any association with the culture. Meat sacrificed to idols and all that.
 
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